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This study assessed how rural women living with HIV/AIDS access microcredit for livelihood improvements. The study examined whether rural women living with HIV/AIDS have accesses to microcredit and the mode used by credit providers to provide microcredit, also focused on the challenges faced by women living with HIV/AIDS when accessing microcredit and the socio-economic benefits of microcredit. The study was approached using multiple embedded case study design, where six women living with HIV/AIDS were interviewed. Three women have accessed microcredit and the other three have not, but all of them were engaging in small business activities. An interview guide and checklist was used for data collection. Based on the analytical strategy, it was found out that, accessibility of microcredit among other factors depends on the ability of a person to run a profitable business and be able to repay the loan. For HIV/AIDS positive women who were able to run profitable business and repay the loan stands the same chance of accessing microcredit like any other women. However, extreme poverty associated with HIV/AIDS limits the chances for HIV positive women to access microcredit. Improved socio economic status was revealed by those women who have accessed microcredit. The uncovered impacts are mostly related to personal and family issues, on account to improved food security, ability to pay children school fees, improved health status, having a say in household decision making as well as reduced stigma and discrimination. The study recommends that, credit providers should find means to reduce interest rate, extend the time for loans repayments and develop products that target rural self-employed women especially those living with HIV/AIDS. The government on the other hand should persuade the credit providers to reduce interest rate, establish microcredit schemes to support women living with HIV/AIDS and find ways of providing financial assistance to the poorest of the poor including HIV suffers and those living below the extreme poverty line, with no means of income, whether it is skill or asset. |
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